One of the things I have been noticing with the Starmada version of IS is that Adm Fisher's desire to only fire to the front has won the day. Meaning the firing arcs for ships are quite different.

In IS it is the acme of success to cross an enemy's "T" with a broadside (as the broadside is area allowing all guns to fire unmasked). But, in the Starmada version the primaries seem to be set up to fire only in the ABCD arcs. Why the change if we are trying to get the feel of IS to Starmada gamers?

Faceted shielding/armor? That's not a staple of IS either but it's part of the crossover product and doesn't make sense again in the context of giving Starmada players a taste of IS.

Was this really just an attempt to add a few more gee whiz gadgets and a new universe to the Starmada arena? I could see that more than I could see it drawing Starmada players to IS.

I also noticed that several of the ships that should have ammo listed don't.

The great ships Adm Dugan has produced seem to match Starmada more than IS anyway as they show main batteries forward of the superstructure but nothing in the back (although the IJEN seems to have it figured out ). I guess that is because they would interfere with the ether sails and propellors? If this is the case it is unlikely for the IS firing arcs to be accurate as most ships as pictured couldn't shoot into their rear arc.

I like the Starmada rules (however, I'd really like a section that allowed for hexless movement!) and I really like IS. I don't think the Starmada AE rules as presented really captures the tactical feel of IS, but it does an admirable job of creating new Starmada rules.

I was wondering if you used any particular historical ship classes to model the Aetherships in IS?

If someone could tell me which ship matched which class I'd appreciate it. I want to build/create a USEN to use and I want to make it as faithful to the IS designs that have been used so far.

CPTCole wrote:In IS it is the acme of success to cross an enemy's "T" with a broadside (as the broadside is area allowing all guns to fire unmasked). But, in the Starmada version the primaries seem to be set up to fire only in the ABCD arcs. Why the change if we are trying to get the feel of IS to Starmada gamers?

Not exactly. The turrets in Starmada: Iron Stars are given firing arcs based on their actual placement on the ship; in Iron Stars, a fair amount of abstraction is involved with the "Full power to the sides, half power to front/back" arrangement.

Faceted shielding/armor? That's not a staple of IS either but it's part of the crossover product and doesn't make sense again in the context of giving Starmada players a taste of IS.

Faceted shielding was introduced in Starmada: Dreadnoughts and is intended to reflect the thinning of armor towards the ends of the ship.

Was this really just an attempt to add a few more gee whiz gadgets and a new universe to the Starmada arena?

Nope. It is an honest-to-goodness attempt to model what the Iron Stars universe would look like in Starmada terms; it is not, however, an attempt to mimic the Iron Stars game in Starmada -- a subtle difference, but an important one.

ussskip wrote:My concern is that this signals an end to Iron Stars. It looks to this outsider as if the company is being forced to streamline into one game system. I will support whatever Majestic Twelve does.

I can't tell you what the future holds for Iron Stars (since I don't know myself at the moment), but I can tell you that the Starmada supplement is not intended as a replacement for the game system.

ussskip wrote:My concern is that this signals an end to Iron Stars. It looks to this outsider as if the company is being forced to streamline into one game system. I will support whatever Majestic Twelve does.

I can't tell you what the future holds for Iron Stars (since I don't know myself at the moment), but I can tell you that the Starmada supplement is not intended as a replacement for the game system.

I surely do hope so. I invested a lot in IS, and I don't mean money...

1) L'armade de Lys vs. US Aether Navy- the French Aether Navy and the US Aether Navy clashes in the aether when the French build a station in orbit over the USA. (1913 - 1914)2) The Great War (1014-1918) The assassination on 28 June 1914 of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, by Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist ignites the conflict. Austria-Hungary's resulting demands against the Kingdom of Serbia activated a sequence of alliances. Within weeks the major European powers were at war; their global empires meant that the conflict soon spread worldwide. The aether fleets join the fray bombing several cities. The fleets guard the space above their nations. In the ground, the first part of the war is fought in the trenches, but by 1916, the use of the new technology changes the face of the war. Paris is invaded and in a strikeback, Vienna is heavily bombed. As the war reaches it's climax, the Martians launch their new assault. A state of ceasefire is achieved and a kind of peace descends upon the land. The humans rally around the society of nations to defend against the invaders.3) The Second Martian Invasion (1918-1923) "This time they arrived with sky ships that shadowed the sky." The Martians arrive with a powerful fleet of aether ships. They landed in Island and fortified it. Only the combined effort of all the modern nations of earth is enough to destroy them.4) Avenging journey (1923 - 1932) Earth launches an attack on Mars. A lot of resources is chanelled to this punitive expedition. The sucess is lower than it is expected. Meanwhile on earth a man starts his path to victory through race purity. Adolf Hitler has some powerful counselours and they are not humans.5) The Rise of Martianism (1933 - 1945) Adolf Hitler is eleted fuher of Germany. In his pocket two ideas. Racial Purity, Friendship with the Martians. Against all expectations, he is elected Chancelor. German starts rearming with strange new weapons. The first Martian diplomat arrives to Berlim. Hitler demands the return of lost territory lost in the Great War and the French and British politics acept. In 1938, Germany invades Checoslovakia and in 1939, after invading Polland, The Second World War starts. In 1943, with the arrival of Martian aether ships to help the axis and Venusian Aether ships to help the allies, it becames the First Solar War.

What do you think? Am I feverish?

"Four-three by seventeen, Mr. Gordon. At my mark fire at the incoming little pest and then steam her up for another passage. This promises to be a long day..."